Omar C. Nickerson, the vice mayor of Miami-Dade's El Portal community, has been arrested on a battery charge related to a domestic violence incident.
The 40-year-old's bond was set at $1,500, the Miami-Dade Police Department said.
According to an arrest report, Nickerson said he got into an argument with his wife about her cheating. Nickerson and his wife have been married for 17 years and have two children, the report said.
Nickerson said he went outside for fresh air and as he was walking back, he saw his wife putting luggage and the kids in their SUV. He said he stood behind the SUV to stop her from taking the kids, and she looked back and drove in reverse, running over his left ankle, the report said.
But Nickerson's wife told officers he had grabbed her around the neck and pushed her to the floor, causing minor scratches, the report said.
El Portal's biographical information on Nickerson, who is described as "first and foremost a lecturer," suggests the vice-mayor is well-educated, as he received degrees from the University of Miami, the University of Cairo in Egypt and the University of Damascus in Syria, where he received a doctorate.
